A Different Path
by sorachibbi
Summary: Odd was a vampire-to-be of a lost time and is now in the life in the present. He has much to learn of this new time... including love. Oddrich UlrichxOdd
1. Prolouge

**Out of boredom and inspiration, I wrote this! It is somewhat inspired by a book I read,** ** _Juliet Immortal_** **(by Stacy Jay). I hope you enjoy!**

PROLOGUE

It burns. There is a fiery pit in my stomach that shakes me with pain to my core. The fire burns my insides, demanding for me to fulfill my quest.

On the cold concrete floor in the abandoned shed that I have brought myself to, I look around the night walls, desperately trying to find something to distract me from my agony. A tidal wave of pain washes over me again, and I double-over in pain. I let out a little whimper as the fire within my stomach begins to expand and take over my whole body.

A figure silently walks through the empty doorway. Running its hand lightly over the stone wall as it approached. "Do you refuse the transition, young vampire?" A soft male's voice asks.

I groan in response as the fire continues. Sharp fangs pierce through my gums, beckoning me to bite the person before me as my crimson-turning-black blood gushes into my mouth and dribbles on the concrete.

My fingernails lengthen and sharpen as he leans in front of me. The moonlight reflects off his eyes in a way that enthralls me. I clench my hands, and my new talons dig into my skin, preventing my urges to lash out at him from becoming actions.

"There is hope, you realize."

Our eyes meet again, and all sense of the world disappear—the cold concrete, the bright moon, the burning pain—all gone. I sit up and face him.

"Child, do you wish not to become what you are destined to be?"

I nod my head subtly. Not sure whether to trust him or not.

"You are aware of what happens to you if you do not preform the tradition of sucking all of the living blood form a human before sunrise, yes?" He asks as he runs his fingers through my hair. His fingers hold warmth.

I lower my eyes to the ground. "Death." My voice is dull and hushed.

The boy laughs. "Not in the slightest. Vampires tell you such things to secure you as one of their kind. If you last this night, the night of your rebirth, without tarnishing a life your vampiric life will diminish and die." He pauses. "However, a new life will arise to the soul and take place into a new world." He smiles a radiant and truthful smile.

I swallow a lump that has risen to my throat. "Wh-what is to see in the new life?"

He smiles, as if waiting for the question. "In the new world that you will be brought to, you will take the place of one whose soul has left the body but the vessel was preserved. You will take the life of the past soul and live it as your own. Do you accept these terms and understand what will be taking place?"

The world slowly seeps back to my senses as I think. As the pain begins to overwhelm me one again, I nod swiftly, anting anything to stop this pain.

He holds a white bead of some sort out to me. "Take this and let it set in your mouth," I do as he says as he continues to speak. "Last and most important of all, _don't tell anyone of your past life._ "

The world darkens around me, and a deep unconsciousness takes over me.

 **Don't worry there will be Oddrich, starting probably in chapter one or two… I hope you like what you read! Review, leave suggestions, comments, blah, blah, blah—you get the jiff. I hope you stick around for the next part.**

 **There will only be a next part if I get enough feedback. Feedback = faster and more frequent posts. So if you are interested, leave a comment, favorite it, follow it, whatever you do, man.**

 **Peace out!** **J**


	2. Chapter 1

**Oh, my gawd! What is this?! An update? Yes! Sorry for the wait guys, but I've finally gotten back around to writing this book. I hope you all enjoy! :D**

CHAPTER 1

I wake up with a start, lunging my body forward and panting. I thrash my head around the room to quickly take in my surroundings. White. White, white, white. And people.

One of the two here is immediately at my side, a wary look on his face. His brown hair is unkempt and pushed to the side. His brown eyes were bloodshot, and dark rings brimmed his eyes. "Odd!" He yells in desperation and relief.

The other behind him-a blond with large, round glasses-jumped up when my eyes meet his, "Nurse!" He jumps up and calls out the door, running out of the room.

"Odd, are you okay?" The brunet blurts, trying to snag my attention. My eyes meander back to his face and I feel myself give a subtle nod, not daring to test my voice. A smile covers his face, and the boy quickly engulfs me in a hug, his arms tight and warm around my small frame.

The door to the bright room bursts open as two ladies, both likely to be in their mid-thirties, hustle into the room. One gasps as she sees the boy and me and quickly begins to poke all over my form.

"Pulse… strong. Breathing… good. Eyes..." She says as the other nurse jots down notes on a clipboard. The nurse now shines a flashlight in my eyes, causing me to flinch away. "Good. How are you feeling?" She finishes, acknowledging me with her last statement.

"I… uh…" I reply inwardly cringing at how hoarse my voice sounds. I honestly don't know how to reply to her; I feel somewhat funny now that I've… switched bodies...? Is that the way to put it? "I feel okay." I say so that she won't ask anymore questions.

The nurse nods in recognition and finishes her examination. Both she and the other nurse leave the room soon after, and I hear one mentioning a check-up from the doctor will be needed before my departure.

As the pair left, the blond boy returns with a new female in toe. The girl adorned jet black hair, which happened to match her clothing-black. Her face has a different set of features than of which I commonly see; she must be Asian, Japanese maybe?

The three of them form a linked chain around me, almost suffocating me in their embrace. "We were so worried about you…" I hear a whisper from the female as she tucks her chin into my hair.

Suddenly a memory flashes through my head.

 _Don't tell anyone of your past life._

 _You will take the life of the past soul and live it as your own._

I hesitate to say anything. I have to act normal, to take over this boy's life as my own. "How-how long was I out?"

"About eleven days. The doctors didn't think you were ever going to wake up." Remarked the blond. "How are you? Is your memory okay?"

"He did take quite a blow to the head. I wouldn't be surprised if he has lost a few brain cells." The girl laughs but concern still heard in her voice.

"I don't know…" I trail, not sure how I am suppose to act. I am struck with an idea that has me biting my lower lip to hold back a smile. I can pretend to have lost my memory, then they'll try to help me recover it and I will slowly learn about this boy's life. Odd, wasn't it? I take a deep breath as I prepare to follow my plan. "Who are you again?"

A disappointed sigh was heard from the blond, and the other two gasp. "Don't kid with us, Odd." The female growls at me.

"I'm not!" I hear a whine in my voice as I speak. I look at the three of their faces. The girl has a shocked look on her face; the brunet with a look of terror; and the blond, who harrumphs, eyes closed with a look of knowing.

I look down to my hands as silence falls over the three of us gently, like snow. My right arm is covered in thin bandages, and my head throbs with pain. I lay down, hoping the throbbing will go away, and all eyes are on me. I feel myself shiver, uncomfortable under all of their gazes.

"Well…" the blond says, and I sit up to look at him more directly. "I guess we should start with introductions. I'm Jeremy, but you always liked to call me Einstein. I'm the smart one of the group." The blond in glasses says, a smile on his face. Fake.

 _Jeremy. Einstein. Got it._

"I'm Yumi, the oldest and the only girl." The girl says hesitantly, a smile at the corners of her mouth. Fake.

 _Yumi. Okay._

"Ulrich." Says the boy simply, not even trying to hide his frown.

 _Ulrich..._

"Ulrich was your best friend and roommate. He's very upset that you've lost your memory; he is just _really_ bad with emotions." Yumi tells me.

I nod in understanding as Ulrich takes a deep breath in and out. I try to stand, feeling myself losing my balance, to which Ulrich uprights me and helps me get the hang of walking again.

"Woah, there." The brunet smiles at me.

I give a weak smile back. "Thanks." I tell him, looking into his brown eyes. A shiver crawls up my back.

Just then, the door opens again, this time a man in a medical uniform-perhaps a doctor-enters with the clipboard. His eyes dart to me and Ulrich then back to his clipboard. He clears his throat then begins to speak, "Kids, why don't you sit out in the hall for a moment?"

Yumi and Jeremy rise soundlessly and exit the room, but Ulrich hesitates. "Do I have to?" He says, eyeing me from head to toe.

The doctor looks at me from over his black-framed glasses to which I shake my head. "I don't mind."

"Alright, Mr. Della Robbia. Do you remember as to why you were in a coma?" He asks, not even bothering to look me in the face. He directs Ulrich and I back to the bed with his pen, and Ulrich helps me back onto the white fabrics.

I chew my lip and think a moment before answering. "No, sir. I don't remember anything, in fact." I don't bother to look at him, my eyes back on my hands. I see Ulrich's han from the corner of my eye move hesitantly closer to mine. I allow him to interlace our fingers as he gently squeezes my hand. I barely squeeze back.

"M-hmmm…" The doctor hums, writing things down on the paper. "And do you remember anything at all? Who you are? Your childhood? Anything?"

 _Don't tell anyone of your past life._

"No, nothing." I shake my head and drum my fingers on Ulrich's hand.

"Okay," The doctor looks at me again, "Do you have any pains or any trouble moving your body in any way?"

I test my toes and ankles. "Besides a headache I had earlier, all's good here!" I whoop.

"Alright then," he opens the door, "Let's walk around a bit and do a few exercises. If you do well, you can return to home and take it easy a few days, okay? Hopefully your family can help you regain some of those memories."

"Alright, I think you'll be fine. Just fill out this check-out form, and you can go home!" the doctor says, scribbling something on a piece of paper before handing it to me and leaving.

I read over the paper in front of me but am not sure what to write. "I got it." Jeremy smiles and grabs a pen. I smile back to him, grateful.

"Here, Odd, take these. You might want to change before we leave." He hands me a set of clothes, a bright purple. Any other time, I would feel turned away from such a vibrant color, but this purple is somewhat refreshing.

I leave for the restroom and quickly change. Upon my return, I am greeted by three smiling faces and a new frowning one.

"Odd, this is my dad." Ulrich tells me. "Because your family lives in Italy and you wanted to stay in France for the summer, you are staying with my family."

I give him a bright smile. "Okay." I say.

We three load up in a car as Jeremy and Yumi leave in different ones. They said they needed to get back to their own homes.

"I hope we can find a few things on the way home that might help jog your memory." Ulrich whispers, and on the way home, he points at different places and tells me about them, though it is hard to see the landmarks in the late evening. I tell him I still don't remember.

We reach what I assume to be Ulrich's house, and he brings me up to his room after introducing me to his mom. "We share a room, like how we did back at the academy." He tells me as we get set for bed.

I nod in reply and sit down on my bed as he finishes putting on his pajamas.

"Do… you mind sleeping with me in my bed tonight?" He asks hesitantly. "I mean, it's been so long since you've been awake, I was so worried. And knowing you're here with me-"

"Okay, Ulrich, no need to explain. I understand." I smile at him sincerely to which he gives a look of thankfulness back.

We lay down in his bed, getting comfortable as he starts rambling. "Tomorrow we can see about calling your parents. They're worried sick. We'll also visit Kiwi; he's at Yumi's house. Oh! Kiwi's your dog, by the way, and you can meet Aelita again, and Lyoko…"

"Lyoko?"

He freezes and looks back to me. "We have a lot to do tomorrow." He smiles apologetically.

Tomorrow. That's right this is just the beginning.

I sigh, and Ulrich yawns. "Night, buddy."

"G'night, Ulrich."

 **YAY! Chapter one done! Thanks for reading! Don't forget to comment/like/etc.! I'll see about getting another chapter written soon!**

 **~K**


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